After years of giving one hit after another, Tom Cruise has finally won his first Oscar. Well, sort of. The superstar who does his own stunts was awarded the Academy Honorary Award at the 2025 Governors Awards, held at the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland Center on November 16.
Three lifetime achievement awards were presented at the ceremony: the Academy Honorary Award, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, and the Irvin G. Thalberg Memorial Award. While the honorary award is presented every year, the other two are only given in some years.
As per Oscars.org, the Academy Honorary Award signifies the recipient’s
…extraordinary lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the motion picture arts and sciences of any discipline, or outstanding service to the Academy.
Let’s take a look at who was awarded this year, and why.
1. Tom Cruise
Cruise has been nominated for an Oscar four times (Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire, and Magnolia). His film, Top Gun: Maverick, was also nominated for Best Picture in 2023. Unfortunately, despite the incredible career he has had in Hollywood, Cruise walked away empty-handed each time. Not to mention the many times he deserved one!
This time, though, the Board of Governors decided to honor Cruise with a much-needed win.
At the ceremony, filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu delivered a powerful tribute to Cruise, stating, “Tom Cruise doesn’t just make movies, he is movies.” And we can’t help but agree. He added,
This may be his first Oscar, but from what I have seen and experienced, it will not be his last.
Iñárritu is directing Cruise for an untitled 2026 film.
A montage showcasing Cruise’s work in the industry for the past few decades was played, after which the superstar walked to the podium to Mission: Impossible‘s theme and received a lengthy standing ovation from the awe-inspired crowd.
In his emotional acceptance speech, the man who refuses to age said,
The cinema, it takes me around the world. It helps me to appreciate and respect differences. It shows me also our shared humanity, how alike we are in so, so many ways. And no matter where we come from, in that theater, we laugh together, we feel together, we hope together, and that is the power of this art form. And that is why it matters, that is why it matters to me. So making films is not what I do, it is who I am.
He remembered falling in love with cinema at a very young age. From there, a “hunger for adventure…for knowledge…to understand humanity, to create characters, to tell a story, to see the world” was ignited, and the rest is history.
Click on the video below to watch Cruise give one of the most heartwarming speeches of his lifetime:
Here’s to many, many more honors in his life!
2. Debbie Allen
Choreographer and actress Debbie Allen received the Honorary Award after five decades of dedicating her life to the industry. Wicked: For Good star Cynthia Erivo delivered the tribute to the A Different World actress, calling her her mentor and “auntie.” She added, “Her impact on the world of film is extraordinary.”
In her speech, Allen thanked her parents, who “raised their children believing that they were citizens of the universe, that there were no boundaries, and that anything we could see could be…” She addressed the glass ceilings and racism she came across growing up.
On the other hand, Allen’s speech caused a bit of an awkward moment when she thanked Bill Cosby, the former comedian and actor whose career came to an end after dozens of s*xual assault allegations against him.
Watch her full speech below:
As a choreographer, Allen opened the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in 2001, where she also taught former Los Angeles Lakers dancer Paula Abdul and actor Corbin Bleu.
3. Wynn Thomas
One of the three Honorary Awards of the night was given to production designer Wynn Thomas. His tribute was led by The Help actress, Octavia Spencer. Thomas had designed the set for her 2016 film, Hidden Figures.
Spencer proudly credited Thomas for
…building entire worlds from scratch that span all kinds of historical periods and genres.
In his speech, the 73-year-old thanked his late mother and grandmother for supporting his dreams, even if they were beyond their understanding.
He then gave a shoutout to art directors, assistant art directors, set designers, prop men and women, etc, without whom, he asserted, his dreams would never have been turned into reality. Here’s his full speech:
Some of his most notable works include Malcolm X, King Richard, Get Smart, Cinderella Man, and so much more. As Spencer pointed out in her tribute to the man, he was the first Black production designer to be added to the Art Directors Guild.
What Was Dolly Parton Honored With at the 2025 Governors Awards?
Lastly, let’s talk about the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award received by Dolly Parton. Parton’s influence on the industry cannot be denied by anyone. The honor is given to the person “whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry by promoting human welfare and contributing to rectifying inequities” (via Oscars.org).
The evening began with a tribute to Parton, who unfortunately couldn’t make it to the event due to her health issues. The tribute was led by Lily Tomlin, Parton’s 9 to 5 co-star. She said, “[Parton] is one of the few people who remain in this world who everyone respects.“
Soon after, a video was shown to the audience of Parton’s work in the industry, as well as her charitable work through The Dollywood Foundation and the Imagination Library. The video highlighted her financial contributions to the development of the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as her support of the LGBTQ community.
A pre-recorded video of Parton was played for the crowd. With the golden statuette beside her, Parton recalled her childhood and counted her blessings, adding that winning the award only makes her want to do more to lift people up. She asked,
Isn’t that what we’re supposed to be here for?
So, to recap, Cruise, Allen, and Thomas were awarded the Academy Honorary Award for their contributions to cinema, and Parton received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for her efforts beyond Hollywood.
Cheers to the winners!
What do you think of the recipients? Share your honest thoughts in the comments section below.
